#not only because it sounds similar to renira

[i-mybrunettelady]

How it feels to settle down

-- Festival of the Four Winds, 1334 AE

“You’re wearing flats,” Akila says suddenly. People are chatting around them, a man and a woman are having a child, someone’s sister is lost somewhere and they hope to find her - it’s vacation, not general party mingling at someone’s estate but she can’t really help herself - but Renira doesn’t quite miss the tone of her girlfriend’s voice.

Like she’s solving a puzzle.

“Am not,” she says back, tapping her slight heel against the stone. “No flats on this woman, ma’am.”

“They’re flatter than your usual shoes-”

“For all my grace I don’t want to trip over uneven stone and fall to my death down below-”

“Reem, you’re a mesmer.” Akila suddenly stops, staring Ren down as she curls a coat around her shoulders. She looks so positively Elonian in that moment that the spymaster just wants to whisk her back to the desert. Hm, isn’t a trip to check on her Shadows contacts due soon? Akila waves her fingers in an imitation of Ren opening a portal and furrows her brow in pretend concentration.

The imitation is accurate enough for Ren to laugh. She leans down and steals a kiss. “That I am. So, what are you on about? What other clues did you get where I’m taking you?”

“Flats,” Akila clears her throat. “You only wear those when you’re out with Rana on a flight.”

Ren blinks. “Yeah. You haven’t flown on a griffon yet so I thought I’d take you. It’s beautiful out in the sky and we have the means to see it and pass it. Besides,” she adds conspiratorially, “I’ve seen people take their dates on these high cliffs, even a wedding. They flew a priest just so they could get married there, or so a lady here says.”

Akila stares up at her, eyes wide in surprise. She goes on her tippy toes as she grips Ren’s hand and whispers, “You’d marry me?”

“We don’t have a priest,” Ren hides the surprise in her voice - the thought didn’t cross her mind at all. For a longest while, she swore off marriage. In her line of work, it isn’t as profitable as romantic novels indicate. Even a relationship means leaving someone behind if you happen to fall into enemy hands. Infiltration requires a long time away that could ruin a budding relationship.

The thought of settling down with Akila sounds more agreeable than she would admit to. To hide it, she gives her girlfriend another kiss, this time a little longer.

Everything for the Order is starting so sound harder than it has ever had.

Akila is still looking up hopefully. There is such gentleness and joy in her dark eyes that Ren doesn’t quite know what to say. “Can we discuss it a little later? Now, we have a griffon to visit.”

“You like the idea, admit it.”

Ren looks at her feet as she murmurs, “I like it a lot.”

They hear Rana before they see her, though the griffon, like her rider, is a giant creature. Tasa laughs as she flies towards them and settles before Ren, eyes bright as she screeches happily.

“Melodious,” Ren comments, scratching her head. “Good to see you too, girl.”

“Will we both fit?” Akila asks, digging her fingers into Rana’s feathers. The griffon leans into her touch.

“She was the largest of her siblings,” Ren shrugs. “We should, theoretically. Now, you won’t throw us down, Rana? You promise?”

Rana seems to consider for a moment before tapping her paws on the ground. “I think she won’t,” Ren grins. “Who will feed her if she does?”

“She’s nicer than that, I think,” Tasa replies. “She’s really bonded with you, Miss Sulver. And she’s fond of Lady Akila too.”

Akila looks at Tasa. They’re both from Amnoon, Ren remembers. She wants to have a word with Akila’s parents from taking her freedom away by selling her to Joko, but she understands that desperate times call for desperate measures. What’s worse, crime or slavery? Can’t decide. But at least I had a choice in it. She’d shiver, if she was a lesser spy. Death or waiting for a lich to fuck you? What’s worse?

“Let’s soar to the skies,” Ren declares to cut through all the negative thoughts.

Akila kisses her hand and rubs it against Ren’s cheek. Height differences at their best, Tybalt once joked. Then, she taps the saddle.

Rana screeches happily as she flies through clouds. Akila’s fingers dig deep into Ren’s exposed belly as she holds on tightly and Ren can feel the messed curls of hair against her back.

She may not know whether she wants to marry yet, but she knows one thing - that whatever may pass, this is what makes her happy.

--- Note:

Akila belongs to a guildie who isn’t on tumblr, but I wanted to write a piece of these two having fun because 1) haven’t written Ren in a while, and 2) she deserves some shippy fics as well. So, enjoy some Ren lore + Ren in love cause she deserves it :)